Who dare to claim about Thai Administration...

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends,

Once again, I would like to comment on those who dare to claim about Thai Administration.

From my several own experiences, I should say all those who claim should be immediatly banned and fired on the public place (in France we would have used the Guillotine -we recently celebrate on the 14th of July- but these times are over...unfortunatelly) !

Since a while, I wanted to establish my Thai driving license and this morning we decide to go for it.

Being located for our "Summer Pastures" in Cha Am, we went, my wife and I, to the Transport Office of Cha Am (Phetchaburi province) with all require documents:

-Original of my valid French driving license + 2 copies
-Original of my valid French passeport with 1 year visa (OA form) + 2 copies
-Original of my valid International driving license + 2 copies
-Original of our Tabien Ban (where my name is registred, even if it's from my Bangkok residence) + 2 copies
-Original of a medical certificate redacted in Thai (round 100 TBH from any medical) + 2 copies
-4 pictures

In less than 20 minutes, I filled up the documents thanks to a very kind desk employee who did her best to pronounce so word in English but enough to let me understand, I pass the colour blind test and a reactivity test (accelerator and brake pedals: you first accelerate, it becomes green and when it turn to red you have to press the brake pedal as quick as possible to be under a certain number of milli seconds), I was pictured and my 2 driving licences (1 year temporary driving licence for Motorcycles and 1 year temporary driving licence for Cars) were ready and printed under a plastic credit card format.

It cost me for both plastified licences, 370 TBH with absolutely no "Tea Money", normal and fair behaviour only.

No teamoney, nothing, only respectfull and kind dialogs, Once again, I reiterate a good experince with Thai Administration were all exchanges were respectfull, kind, efficient and smiling....

This would have NEVER been possible, at least in France (and specially for a foreigner) and I would think in most of European countries.

So I challenge anyone to find better and I ban all those who could criticise Thai Admnistration and LOS !

Few people would say that in Cha Am it could be easier than in Bangkok, yes, I agree but Bangkok is like all these World capital were the stress invades relationship and spoil the mindset

Do not hesitate to post if you want further information.

And remeber "Keep On the Power"

 

[mbox999]

Hi ,

I think i can post similar experience. I made my Thai Motorbike drivers licence( also the exam ) about 4 years ago, and transferred my South African Car licence to Thai Car licence (no exam) all the same time...i walked in the morning with the requested Papers( as mentioned by Azoulay) i was out before noon having passed the Motorbike licence exam, and converted the South African Car licence the same time!!!...i found this pretty fast and efficient . No Teamoney asked for nor paid.

happy trails,

mbox

 

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends,

Happy to meet an other mate who has good experience of Thailand, too easy to allways complain...Just imagine the same situation in your home country and if you want to add a bit of chili, imagine it being a foreigner...

Have fun !

 

[Franz]

Hi Azoulay, I've got the Thai driving licenses for both car and bike for a long time already and every extention after 5 years doesn't take longer than 1 hour with above procedure.
Also the process of all my bikes & car being registered in CNX didn't take a long time and was done in a more than correct way, guys & gals at the Transport office were very polite and helpful. Cheers, Franz

 

[johngooding]

I have similar pleasant experience with getting car and bike licences in Khon Kaen. Also in the transferring of vehicle ownership in Khon Kaen, and also in Chiang Mai, Sakhon Nakhon and in Bangkok. Never had any problems as I had the correct paperwork and never paid any tea money. Obtaining a motorcycle licence in the Uk is an expensive and long winded process. Of course we cannot compare the standard of the driving instruction and testing in European countries with that here. But if I have to choose, I choose the freedom of Thailand over the beurocracy of Europe. And despite a classical education I still cannot spell beaurocracy. Please kind moderators can we have a spell checker to help us :lol: :lol:

 

[David Learmonth]

Obtained car & bike licence in ChiangRai last December with no problem. Quite efficient.

 

[cdrw]

I think the Thai Administration clamped down on bribery at the Licensing Bureau about 7-8 years ago.
I obtained my car & bike licenses 6-years ago, in Pattaya; my friends who obtained licenses previously had told me they initially failed
the tests and returning later and they all bribed their way through the process.
When I went to get my 1-year licenses, I'd placed a 1000-Bt note discretely under the needed documents.
The gal returned the money and said I needed some more copies. I returned, again placing the Baht within the additional documents.
Again it was returned. All the testing and licensing procedures were done very efficiently and I was given my licenses.
No money offered nor expected when I obtained my 5-year licenses and expect the same when I renew my 5-year licenses next month.

It's nice to know that at least one Thai bureaucracy is both efficient and not open to corruption!
Now about the all other others... :roll:

 

[Kiwi Cruiser]

I had a trouble-free experience with car & motorcycle licence issue in Chatuchak, Bangkok - all details from my New Zealand licences were transferred without question or hindrance. The only issue was that in the test, I was completely baffled by the point of the "depth perception" machine!

I watched at least a dozen people do it... still had not the faintest idea of the objective and I failed miserably! The testing officer's English language skills were non-existent, but she took me out side the room where, in English, in big text on the wall, there was a detailed, diagrammed and extensive explanation of the test... The problem was that after reading it through severeal times, the English translation was so badly done I was even more confused!

What saved me from further humiliation and disaster was a young Thai woman who had been in the testing room when I flunked my test. She could apparently see my bewilderment and took pity on me - she spoke fluent English, and explained how the test worked...

Went back in and passed without a problem. :lol-sign:

The initial 1-year licence was a flimsy piece of paper, and renewal of that gets you the 5 year plastic card. I did that in Chiang Mai, again without any problem at all.

In botrh Bangkok and Chiang Mai, the processing of foreign national licences are streamlined - there's a "Foriegners" counter with dedicated staff! Thats super-friendly service indeed!

The ONLY problem I've experienced with buerocracy has been in Chiang Rai, when I wanted to get a vehicle registered in my name. The process that works so smothly in Chiang Mai does NOT work in Chiang Rai. Previously I'd had 1 car and 2 bikes registered in my name in Chiang Mai, and the accepted proof of address requirement was a Letter of Residence" from the embassy. Vehicle registration staff in Chiang Rai refused ot accept that... and insisted on a certificate of residence from Mae Sai Immigration... Of course, Mae Sai Immigration cannot issue one of those if you are on a multi-entry Visa... they suggest you get the letter certifying address from your Embassy! This turns the classic situation where a petty person gets to enjoy your growing frustration... and you can't fight it.

Best to avoid the battles you can't win, and I solved the problem by getting the NZ Embassy to send me the letter of residency using the Chian Mai address of a friend, and registered the car in Chiang Mai instead without any hassles!

 

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends,

Thus you see through the few answers we get, LOS is really a paradise for these stuffs and not the horrible description some use to report.

Once again, Aussies, NZ's, Frenchies, Englishes, and other Germans of the Universe, just compare it to your home country....and on top don't forget we are humble foreigners !

Thanks Thailand !!!

 

[Kiwi Cruiser]

Hi Azoulay

You are very right about this. My attitude is, if anyone whines and complains about how bad things are here in LOS, they should shut up and go straight back home for a refresher course in uncivil attitudes by officials. In 13 yrs of association with Thailand, including 5 years of living here full-time, I've only good things to say about my occasional encounters with Immigration, Customs and police officers!

As a New Zealand passport holder, here as a guest in Thailand, I've always been treated with polite courtesy and friendly respect. That's a stark contrast to going through Customs & Immigration in Australia... even going through transit in Sydney airport is a scary experience, with grim-faced arrogant staff at every checkpoint. Home in New Zealand, at least the staff are usually polite - although last time back I got pulled out of the entry line with an English flyfishing client I was taking home for a week of trout fishing. We were escorted into a room and had our baggage emptied out on the counter by a rude and officious woman, bags sent for x-ray ... Delayed 2 hours, during which we were expected to stand and wait... We'd been travelling for 20-odd hours, so were a little surly about this bullshit... I spotted a couple of chairs and dragged them as noisily as possibvle back to where we our baggage was, and we sat with feet on the counter until eventually being allowed ot carry on our way. No explanation forthcoming, no apology... :thumbdown:

Also in stark contrast, if you are a Thai national visting Aus or NZ, you stand a very good chance of being to be treated very harshly. Just getting an entry visa is a nightmare for a start. That visa does not guarantee you'll actuially be allowed in either! Several years ago, my ex-wife's aunty returned from Bangkok with a couple of Thai friends with valid visas... Immigration staff decided that this married couple in their 40's were a menace to NZ society because they perceived a risk of over-staying and refused to let them in. They were held in custody overnight and sent home on the first available flight!

My ex-wife tried to get a student visa for her sister to visit for a few months, in order to improve her English. The girl had just completed a Bachelors Degree in Accounting, and was doing a Masters at a Bangkok University... Immigration NZ insisted my ex would have to pay a $3000 bond, which would be forfeited if the sister applied for an extension of stay!

In my experience, Aus and NZ Immigration officers could learn a lot about "Customer Service" from their Thai counterparts! :thumbup:

 

[hs0zfe]

Azoulay, are you asking to establish a Thought Police? Are you sure all those who complain about corruption are liars?

Glad to hear of all your good experiences and I look forward to getting my DL converted soon, too. Be friendly and staff is eager to help. It's a bit like an echo coming back. While in Germany, many frustrated bureaucrats love to make people wait or keep sending them from room to room on a wild goose chase.

In case some unfortunate biker will report something bad, will the chorus start shouting Get back, get back to where you came from? Me, I believe in a pluralist society and freedom of speech.

Chris

 

[Azoulay]

Hi Friends,

Hi Chris,

Just to react then close the issue with you Chris, in fact i did not think to it but it would be a good idea a "Thought Police", in fact if you had not been there to let me think to it, I think I would have miss something...... :lol-sign:

"A pluralist society and freedom of speech" why not....but for the time being, just listen to me and that's enough...... :lol-sign:

Really I missed something, but OK I admit aand resign.